Gayle Novack
December 2020
Gayle
Novack
,
MA, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, HMCT, Certified Caritas Coach
Chief Nursing Officer
Ascension St. John Hospital
Gayle continues to lead with courage, compassion, creativity, and an amazing ability to hold space for what is – even as the directives change by the day, hour, and minute.
Gayle is a "warrior healer" in every sense, even before COVID struck our planet and our way of being. These characteristics may appear as an oxymoron, but they describe this leader very accurately.
Angeles Arrien describes the "warrior archetype" as one who is deliberate and strategic, taking full responsibility for their actions, demonstrating an ethical code of "personal honor, noble restraint and individual humility for their deeds". This leader continues to lead with courage, compassion, creativity, and an amazing ability to hold space for what is - even as the directives change by the day, hour, and minute. This leader knows how to show up, be visible, and empower others through example and intention. She is always reaching out for others' expertise and opinions. She knows the power of presence, inclusivity, and communication as she stands firm in holding heart space for all of us to learn together without judgment. She never misses an opportunity to extend the arms of love, gratitude, acceptance, recognition, validation, and acknowledgment.
She continues to lead us through very challenging times, like none we have ever encountered in our careers, embracing them rather than constricting in fear.
As the healer portion of this oxymoron, she gives attention to what has heart and meaning with an incredible ability to access the human resource of love. Her actions and attitudes for each of us are to maintain our wholeness so we can support the welfare of others and preserve our culture of being a healing environment.
Arrien describes "truthfulness, authenticity, and integrity are essential keys to developing our vision and intuition." This leader incorporated all of this as she led our hospital, along with our other amazing executive team, with creativity, compassion, and love. We have each been through a disaster not without woundedness or change, knowing and trusting we have an amazing visionary to lead us forward with new wisdom- wherever that path leads.
This "warrior-healer" leader, Gayle Novack, is a true DAISY Nurse Leader.
***
I have had the privilege of reporting to this leader for the last 3+ years, and of serving under those who reported to her for several years before that. I'm not going to lie. At first, I found her to be a bit intimidating and difficult to read. When I hear people say that now, it always makes me laugh because I remember feeling that way, too. Having 5+ years to get to know her better, I recognize now that the intimidation really comes from my own uncertainties - uncertainties that this leader has helped me to look straight in the eye and become a better person and leader for. I also recognize that the "difficult to read" feeling comes from her deeply thoughtful, non-judgemental, and highly reflective manner of meeting any and all situations and information. Her ability to create space for the humanness of all situations, the expression of emotion in a useful way and the motivation to learn, grow and love more deeply is unlike anyone I've ever met in my life.
There have been times over the years when I have wished that she would provide me with a direct response or a clear answer to my questions or concerns. It has been in those moments, though, when I have been able to realize my own creativity and capacity to problem solve.
There have been times over the years when I have literally sat and made mental lists of all of the ways in which this person and I are oddly different from one another. It has been in those moments when I have come to appreciate more profoundly the beauty of the uniqueness of humanity.
There have also been times over the years when I have cried as I thought about how I am so "not enough" to serve my team, our frontline nurses, and our patients, and it has been in those moments that she has listened in such a way that picks me up, dusts me off and challenges me to press on.
These are the characteristics of this leader that make her so special to me - and why I think she is a DAISY Nurse Leader.
And just when I think I can't respect and admire this leader more, we are struck with a global pandemic and civil unrest relative to the murder of George Floyd. This leader has been the absolute stronghold, backbone, foundation, voice, and so much more of our COVID-19 Incident Command at Ascension St. John Hospital. The decisions, support, cheerleading, and plain out hard work that she contributed and led throughout our acute crisis (and continues to lead today) has been beyond what I could ever express with words. In addition, she has led, no - demanded, we begin having conversations today about racial injustice and create a plan for being part of great change during this historic time.
My narrative doesn't necessarily contain specific examples of direct patient impact, but when I think about myself as a leader, I aspire to the level of indirect patient impact that this leader has. Her vision for holistic nursing, executive leadership collaboration, end of life/bereavement team formation, Nursing excellence (Magnet), and so much more directly impact the care provided to our patients by our frontline every day. I am grateful to call Gayle my "boss", mentor and friend.
Angeles Arrien describes the "warrior archetype" as one who is deliberate and strategic, taking full responsibility for their actions, demonstrating an ethical code of "personal honor, noble restraint and individual humility for their deeds". This leader continues to lead with courage, compassion, creativity, and an amazing ability to hold space for what is - even as the directives change by the day, hour, and minute. This leader knows how to show up, be visible, and empower others through example and intention. She is always reaching out for others' expertise and opinions. She knows the power of presence, inclusivity, and communication as she stands firm in holding heart space for all of us to learn together without judgment. She never misses an opportunity to extend the arms of love, gratitude, acceptance, recognition, validation, and acknowledgment.
She continues to lead us through very challenging times, like none we have ever encountered in our careers, embracing them rather than constricting in fear.
As the healer portion of this oxymoron, she gives attention to what has heart and meaning with an incredible ability to access the human resource of love. Her actions and attitudes for each of us are to maintain our wholeness so we can support the welfare of others and preserve our culture of being a healing environment.
Arrien describes "truthfulness, authenticity, and integrity are essential keys to developing our vision and intuition." This leader incorporated all of this as she led our hospital, along with our other amazing executive team, with creativity, compassion, and love. We have each been through a disaster not without woundedness or change, knowing and trusting we have an amazing visionary to lead us forward with new wisdom- wherever that path leads.
This "warrior-healer" leader, Gayle Novack, is a true DAISY Nurse Leader.
***
I have had the privilege of reporting to this leader for the last 3+ years, and of serving under those who reported to her for several years before that. I'm not going to lie. At first, I found her to be a bit intimidating and difficult to read. When I hear people say that now, it always makes me laugh because I remember feeling that way, too. Having 5+ years to get to know her better, I recognize now that the intimidation really comes from my own uncertainties - uncertainties that this leader has helped me to look straight in the eye and become a better person and leader for. I also recognize that the "difficult to read" feeling comes from her deeply thoughtful, non-judgemental, and highly reflective manner of meeting any and all situations and information. Her ability to create space for the humanness of all situations, the expression of emotion in a useful way and the motivation to learn, grow and love more deeply is unlike anyone I've ever met in my life.
There have been times over the years when I have wished that she would provide me with a direct response or a clear answer to my questions or concerns. It has been in those moments, though, when I have been able to realize my own creativity and capacity to problem solve.
There have been times over the years when I have literally sat and made mental lists of all of the ways in which this person and I are oddly different from one another. It has been in those moments when I have come to appreciate more profoundly the beauty of the uniqueness of humanity.
There have also been times over the years when I have cried as I thought about how I am so "not enough" to serve my team, our frontline nurses, and our patients, and it has been in those moments that she has listened in such a way that picks me up, dusts me off and challenges me to press on.
These are the characteristics of this leader that make her so special to me - and why I think she is a DAISY Nurse Leader.
And just when I think I can't respect and admire this leader more, we are struck with a global pandemic and civil unrest relative to the murder of George Floyd. This leader has been the absolute stronghold, backbone, foundation, voice, and so much more of our COVID-19 Incident Command at Ascension St. John Hospital. The decisions, support, cheerleading, and plain out hard work that she contributed and led throughout our acute crisis (and continues to lead today) has been beyond what I could ever express with words. In addition, she has led, no - demanded, we begin having conversations today about racial injustice and create a plan for being part of great change during this historic time.
My narrative doesn't necessarily contain specific examples of direct patient impact, but when I think about myself as a leader, I aspire to the level of indirect patient impact that this leader has. Her vision for holistic nursing, executive leadership collaboration, end of life/bereavement team formation, Nursing excellence (Magnet), and so much more directly impact the care provided to our patients by our frontline every day. I am grateful to call Gayle my "boss", mentor and friend.